Project Description
The goal of our project is to develop a low-cost, all-in-one (AIO) photovoltaic (PV) sensor device which will allow our customer, the Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC), to gather data from their solar panel arrays. The all-in-one sensor will be able to collect voltage, current, temperature, and irradiance directly from the customer’s solar panels. The data that our solution will provide the customer with includes numerous benefits. Firstly, through voltage and current values collected at each panel in an array will allow for technicians to detect a faulty panel in an easy-to-use manner. This solution would significantly reduce loss of power generation when a panel becomes faulty as this would reduce the time [and money] it would take for a technician to identify a faulty panel. Secondly, our solution will collect large amounts of granular data for OUC to generate accurate representations of temperature and irradiance at a solar panel array over a period, as well as energy collected over a period.
Meet the Team
Timothy Ajao will be graduating from the University of Central Florida with a bachelor’s degree in the field of Electrical Engineering following the signal processing and communications path. Post- graduation, he would begin working as an entry level electrical engineer at Jacobs Engineering’s energy and power division.
Andrew Hollands is a graduating senior at the University of Central Florida, obtaining his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering in August of 2022. He is currently working as a Software Quality Engineer at Apple in Cupertino, CA, and is planning to further develop his skills in software development.
Marco Herrera is a senior student at the University of Central Florida and will receive his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering with a Comprehensive track of all major Electrical branches. He is currently pursuing a career at Jacobs Ground Launch Team at Cape Canaveral. After working in the industry for at least 2 years has plans to pursue post graduate studies.
Maguire Mulligan is currently a senior at the University of Central Florida and will receive his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering with a focus on Power and Renewable Energy in August 2022. He is currently working as an intern with the Emerging Technologies division of OUC and aims to pursue a career in renewable energies, pursuing his graduate studies once a company is willing to pay for it.
Meet the Faculty Advisors and Sponsors
Mark Steiner is a professor and the director of engineering design at the UCF Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Prior to his recent move to Florida, Steiner served as director of the O.T. Swanson Multidisciplinary Design Laboratory in the School of Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, which he established from the ground up and grew into an internationally recognized design program. He is an expert in advanced design methodology. Read more at his website.
Rubin York is a graduate of UCF where he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. He is currently a project research engineer at the Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) where he researches, designs, and manufactures solutions for renewable technology. York is experienced in solar and data storage technology, mechanical design, and coding with a demonstrated history of providing innovative, safe, and reliable solutions to design problems.